Clamp device



March 14, 1967 v. J. KRITSKE CLAMP DEVICE Filed Oct. 5, 1965 UnitedStates Patent 3,308,831 CLAMP DEVICE Victor J. Kritske, Sheboygan, Wis,assignor to Mayline Company, Inc., Sheboygan, Wis., a corporation ofWisconsin Filed Oct. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 493,004 4 Claims. (Cl. 12916.7)

This invention relates to a clamp device and more particularly to such adevice for holding sheets of material adjacent an edge thereof.

The present invention contemplates a clamp device adaptable for bindingsheets of material as, for example, engineering, architectural, andconstruction plans. Frequently it is necessary to release the clampdevice to insert additional or revised sheets into a set of plans or toinsert a new set of plans. It is, therefore, an object of this inventionto provide an improved clamp device which will securely hold one orseveral sheets of material, which may be easily and quickly released,and so arranged that the parts will not be accidentally disassembled.

Prior binders for plans have had gripping jaws for gripping the sheetsadjacent an end thereof and these jaws or gripping members have beenresiliently-urged apart by a spring or springs disposed between thejaws. Such springs have frequently interfered with the sheets beinginserted between the jaws; therefore it is another object of thisinvention to provide a new and useful clamp device wherein the areabetween the gripping members is substantially free from the presence ofsprings or the like. I

Another object of this invention is to provide a clamp device includinga support member and gripping members and having an improved means forsupporting the gripping members on the support member.

Other objects are to provide an improved clamp de- .vice which isgenerally lightweight, the parts of which may be formed by extrusion,and which has gripping members having a generally identicalcross-section.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of this invention shownbinding a plurality of sheets of material;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view on a larger scale and having portionsbroken away to better illustrate the relationship of the parts;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a gripping memberconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the clamp device indicatedat is illustrated as holding in assembled relation a plurality of sheetsof material 12 such as drawings, plans, pages of sheet material and thelike. While the clamp device is illustrated as clampingly engaging aplurality of sheets of material, it should be understood that the devicemay be used to clamp a single sheet of material if desired.

In general, the clamp device 10 includes an elongate support member 14,first and second gripping members or jaws 16 and 16', a means forresiliently urging the gripping members apart herein shown ascompressiontype helical spring 18, and an actuating means for moving thegripping members toward each other to grip the sheets of material aswill hereinafter be described.

In the embodiment illustrated, support member 14 is preferably formed byextruding any suitable material such as aluminum. The support memberincludes generally parallel flanges 21 and 22 which are connected byintermediate portion or web 23, and which define an elongate slot 24,best shown in FIG. 3. Flange 21 has a generally C-section edge portion25 best shown in FIG. 3, and which extends generally the full length ofthe flange. The C-section edge portion has an inner surface 26 which isgenerally equidistant from a radius point thereby defining a generallysmooth groove extending the full length of the flange. Inner surface 26terminates at edges 27 and 28 which are spaced apart to provide a grooveopening which faces the elongate slot 24. Preferably, the included anglebetween edges 27 and 28 and the radius point is less than for a purposewhich will hereinafter become apparent. Flange 22 likewise has aC-section edge portion 25' which is similar in description to thatdescribed above for flange 21, and similar parts are designated by thesame numeral followed by prime Gripping members 16 and 16' arepreferably formed by extruding any suitable lightweight material such asaluminum. The gripping members are preferably of identical configurationso that the same extrusion may be utilized for both gripping members.The following therefore, will describe first gripping member 16 but isequally applicable to second gripping member 16 and like parts areindicated on the drawings by the same numeral followed by prime Thegripping member or jaw, best illustrated in FIG. 4, includes a firstbody portion 31 and a second body portion 32 conveniently disposedobliquely to the first body portion. Attached adjacent an end of thesecond. body portion is a gripping means of any convenient configurationfor engaging the material to be clamped but herein illustrated in theform of teeth 33 and 34. Oppositely extending lateral portions 35 and 36are attached adjacent the end of first body por tion 31. Lateral portion35 preferably comprises a bead 37 having a generally cylindrical surfaceand shaped for lying closely adjacent the surface 26 of the supportmember. For :a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent, lateralportion 36 preferably has upper and lower rounded portions adjacent anend thereof and these porti-ons are conveniently in the form of a bead38. As best seen in FIG. 3, when the gripping members are assembled withthe support member, as by sliding head 37 in the groove of the C-section25, a hinge connection is formed. The opening between edges 27 and 28 ispreferably less than the size of the bead whereby the head is restrainedfrom lateral removal from the groove. For this purpose theaforedescribed included angle is less than 180 and, in this manner, theclamp device cannot he accidentally disassembled.

An actuating means, generally designated by the numeral 40, is providedfor pivoting the gripping members about the hinge connection to move thegripping members into gripping position and for retaining the same insuch position. Preferably at least two actuating means are provided, andin the embodiment illustrated, each is in the form of a bolt 41 and awing nut 42.' For insertion of the bolt, an opening 29 is provided insupport member 14 (see FIG. 2). The bolt is operatively connected to thefirst and second gripping members. 16 and 16' as by engaging the lowerportion of head 38. For this purpose, each support member has an opening39 which cooperates with an adjacent opening in the opposite supportmember to provide a generally aligned opening with opening 29. Bolt 41has a head 43 engaged with the underside of head 38 and a shoulder 44disposed in opening 39. As shown, opening 39 and shoulder 44 arepreferably of cooperating configuration to provide for axial restraintof the bolt as nut '42 is tightened on the bolt. It can be seen thathead 43 engages the lower rounded portion of beads 38 and 38' therebyproviding minimum friction.

As stated above, means is provided for resiliently urging the grippingmembers apart to open position, and this is conveniently in the form ofa spring means such as compression-type helical spring 18 convenientlydisposed around the shank of bolt 41. In this manner, the bolt operatesto position the spring. It can be seen that as wing nut 42 is loosened,the spring will operate to push on the upper surface of beads 38 and 38'to pivot the gripping members about the hinge connection and force theteeth of the respective gripping members apart thereby releasing thesheet material being held. It can be seen that engagement of the springon the rounded bead provides a minimum of friction during movement. Asbest seen in FIG. 3, the respective lateral portions of the grippingmembers extend generally to the center of elongate slot 24 andsubstantially span the slot, and spring 18 is disposed in the elongateslot between the lateral portions and web 23. In this manner, the springmeans will not interfere with the material being gripped.

In this example, the elongate support member 14 is longer than thelength of gripping members 16 and 16' and is provided with end portions48 which extend a suitable selected distance beyond the ends of each ofthe gripping members 16 and 16'. Each portion 48 provides convenientsupport means for spanning distance between generally parallel rackmembers 50 for supporting the clamp device and sheets of material 12conveniently held thereby in a vertical depending position as shown. Itwill be noted that the extremities of each end portion 48 are providedwith a protective covering 49 of any suitable material.

It is now deemed obvious that the present invention comprises animproved clamp device wherein the gripping members may be formed of thesame extrusion and in which the clamp device cannot he accidentallydisassembled. It is also deemed obvious that the arrangement of thespring means is such that there will be no interference with the sheetof material being held and that the resulting clamp device is generallylightweight and attractive.

While I have thus disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention thishas been done by way of illustration and not limitation and I do notwish to be limited except as required by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A clamp device for holding sheet-like material adjacent an edgethereof and comprising:

an extruded support member of generally channelshaped cross-section andincluding a web and generally parallel flanges defining an elongate slottherebetween and extending the full length of the support member, eachflange having a generally circular groove adjacent the end of said slotand extending the full length of the flange, each groove having afull-length opening facing said slot, each said opening defining anincluded angle of lessthan 180 with the radius point of said circulargroove, and said support member having at least two openings in the web;

first and second extruded gripping members of generally identicalcross-section and each comprising an elongate body portion havingoppositely extending lateral portions adjacent an end thereof, one ofsaid lateral portions being a bead extending the full length of the bodyportion and shaped for lying closely adjacent the surface of one of saidgrooves to form a hinge connection with the respective flange andwhereby the gripping member is restrained from lateral removal from thegroove, the other of said lateral portions extending to a point adjacentthe center of said slot for cooperating with the similar lateral portionof the opposite gripping member to substantially span the slot, saidother lateral portions having means defining at least two openingsgenerally aligned with the openings in said web, each body portionhaving a gripping means adjacent another end thereof and facing theopposite gripping member for gripping said material;

spring means engaged with said web and said other lateral portions forresiliently urging the gripping means apart; and

at least two generally T-headed bolts each having a shank extendingthrough said aligned openings and having a nut thereon, each said headand nut engaging the web and said other lateral portions whereby thebolt may be selectively actuated to move the gripping means toward eachother.

2. A clamp device for holding one or more sheets of material adjacent anedge thereof and comprising: an elongate support member of gene-rallychannel-shaped cross-section and including a web and spaced first andsecond flanges defining an elongate slot extending generally the fulllength thereof, first and second gripping members each including a bodyportion having a gripping means at one end thereof and oppositelyextending first and second lateral portions at the other end thereof,each said first lateral portion having a hinge connection to the slotside of the respective flange, each hinge connection including alongitudinally extending C-sectional edge portion on one of the itemscomprising said first lateral portion and said flange, each hingeconnection including a longitudinally extending bead portion on theother of said items and engaged in said C-sectional portion, each saidsecond lateral portion extending to a point adjacent the center of saidelongate slot to substantially span the slot, resilient means disposedin the space between said web and said lateral portions and engaged withthe support member and each said second lateral portion for urging thegripping means apart, and actuating means for simultaneously pivotingthegrippings members about their respective hinge connection for movingthe gripping means toward each other.

3. A clamp device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the web has an openingtherein communicating with the elongate slot, the second lateralportions have means defining an opening generally aligned with the webopening, the actuating means includes a generally T-headed bolt having ashank extending through said aligned openings and a nut threadedthereon, said bolt having its head engaging the second lateral portions,and wherein the second lateral portions each have a rounded portionengaged by the bolt head.

4. A clamp device as set forth in claim 3 wherein the resilient meansincludes a helical-type compression spring disposed in the slot andcircumjacent to the shank of the bolt.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 359,528 3/ 1887Zoller 24248 X 1,911,277 5/1933 Helrner 12916.7 2,807,266 9/1957Sni'adanko 129-36 2,819,507 1/1958 Petersen 24250 2,824,913 2/1958Taylor 24-251 X 2,869,210 1/1959 Schneider 24---251 2,923,994 2/1960Johnson 24'248 2,985,174 5/1961 Guth 12935 2,990,961 7/ 1961 Schneider2425l X 3,069,737 12/ 1962 Schneider et al 12935 X JEROME SCHNALL,Primary Examiner.

2. A CLAMP DEVICE FOR HOLDING ONE OR MORE SHEETS OF MATERIAL ADJACENT ANEDGE THEREOF AND COMPRISING: AN ELONGATE SUPPORT MEMBER OF GENERALLYCHANNEL-SHAPED CROSS-SECTION AND INCLUDING A WEB AND SPACED FIRST ANDSECOND FLANGES DEFINING AN ELONGATE SLOT EXTENDING GENERALLY THE FULLLENGTH THEREOF, FIRST AND SECOND GRIPPING MEMBERS EACH INCLUDING A BODYPORTION HAVING A GRIPPING MEANS AT ONE END THEREOF AND OPPOSITELYEXTENDING FIRST AND SECOND LATERAL PORTIONS AT THE OTHER END THEREOF,EACH SAID FIRST LATERAL PORTION HAVING A HINGE CONNECTION TO THE SLOTSIDE OF THE RESPECTIVE FLANGE, EACH HINGE CONNECTION INCLUDING ALONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING C-SECTIONAL EDGE PORTION ON ONE OF THE ITEMSCOMPRISING SAID FIRST LATERAL PORTION AND SAID FLANGE, EACH HINGECONNECTION INCLUDING A